Artificial hand



us. 3o, 1932.

H. F. G'Elsle:`

ARTIFICIAL HAND Filed Aug. 19. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet H. F. GEISE ARTIFXCIAL HAND Filed Ag. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug. 30, 1932 HENnY E. amsn, or wnrfrnsjwAsnINGroN Y,

'l '.uurrriorar. HAND Application filed August 19,1930. Serial No.4-76,368.

This invention relates to the-class of. arti-'j cial body membersand` pertainsl particu-V larly 4to an artificial hand, being an improvement upon the artificial hand disclosed'in 5 my Patent No. 1,557 ,355 of October 13, 1925.

Theprimary object of the present inven tion 1s to provlde an improved artificial hand proper operation ofthe hand throughcoac' tive movements of the upper-,arm and foreg arm, may be! made easilytandv quickly thus `,taken on theline 4-4of Figure' l.

increasing the ease with which the actuation of the lartificial hand may be accomplishedf ficial` hand are actuated Vrelative `to one anotheras a result* of relative movements be. tween the upper arm and forearm, through the medium of an actuating lever. This Vacl tuating lever has one enddisposed adjacent readily seen that some difficulty must be eX- perienced in adjusting the inner end ofthe actuating lever. f `With' the present invention the difficulty encountered in Vadjusting theV actuating lever of the hand isy overcome through certain novel rearrangements of the y parts and changes in the construction ofthe handactuating lever. Y

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved hand construction which is adapted to performa greatervariety,

Oi umtwns thanlhandv Structues of thihave :attachedthereto the usual rings 9 by character heretofore devised. y

'The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following ydetailed'de-l scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspeciication, with ythe understanding,x however,

that the Ainvention is notconfined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no ma'- line 3 -1-3 of Figure 1. i l

In my former application above `referred to l a pair of coacting members forming the 'arti` y of apertures 11..

terial departurefrom the salient features of the,` invention as expressed in the appended.` claims. .y .L 1 In the dra-wi n`gs:-` .Y v i i Figure V1 isaview in side elevation of the l improved artificialhandand operating mechanisrnL thereforembodying -the presentin- Y vention. l wherein certain adjustments necessary tothe Figure2 is a'view in top plan ofthe same.

`Figure 3` is ka sectional view taken on thel QFigureA is a horizontal sectional lview Figure@ 5; is a detailed sectional view i, through Vthe grippingelements of the hand. i,

.Figure isa detailed view in plan of the gripping elements of the hand showing cer'v v.tain adjustments which may be made thereto.

Figure "I` is asectonalview taken on the `line 7-.7 of Figure 5.

`Figure 9 is a sectional view line 9 9 of Figure 5.

taken on the tively the upper arm and forearm encasing sleeves of'l the present device. The upper arm encaslng sleeve 1 has disposed at oppo- Figure Sis a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figureflm.`

site sides and Vlongitudinally thereof the reinforcing bars 3 and 4, the lower ends of Iwhich extend 'beyond the lower ends of the sleeve ,as shownfand have pivotal connection as at 5 with theA reinforcing bars 6 and 7 which extendlongitudinally of the forearm encasing,` sleeve, these latter bars being `secured at their forward ends to the band V8 encircling the forward end -of the sleeve 2.

;The bars 3 and iadjacent their upper ends Vmeans of `which the body strap used with -Y the artificial limb maybe attached thereto.

The bar 3 which is upon the outside of the device, assuming that the device shown is for attachment to a right arm, hassecured thereto adjacent theupper vend a plate 10 which has its rear edge extended beyond the supporting bar 3 and provided witha `series Immediately below the plate 10 arshort bar 12 is secured longitudinally of the bar 3 and is held in spaced relation thereto as shown in Figure 3, the lower end of this bar overlying the rear end of the forearm reinforcing bar 7 and being secured in place by the rivet 5 which pivots the two reinforcing bars 3 and 7 together.

The forearm reinforcing bar 7 is upon the outer side of the sleeve 2 and mounted thereon adjacent the rear end or theelbow-of the` device is a bearing 13. At its forwardend the bar 7 has formed integral therewith. a.

laterally projecting ear 14 which'has an aperture therethrough which is iny align-A ment with the bearing 13.

Mounted longitudinally along; the outer..

side of the bar 7 with one end supported in the bearing 13 and thelother orl forward end supported in and extending through'l the aperture in the ear 15, is a shaft'16, the rear end ofv which has ak collar 17 secured thereto which .prevents its longitudinal movement in one direction through thebearing 13, move-V ment in the opposite direction beingHprevented by the shoulder formed-adjacentthe opposite end of' the bearing'where the shaft is reduced for extension-throughthe bears ing. .This `shaft 161 is cutawayl tas indicated at 18 from a point forwardly of the bearing 13 to its. forward end so that it is of substantially semi-circular cross-section through the major portion.Y of itsllength. At

its forward end beyond the-ear 14the` shaftl 16 is curved slightlyk laterally as indicated at 19 and terminatesdn -a bearing eye l20;'

Slidably disposed longitudinally ofthe shaft .-16 1in. the cut out portion thereofy is a semi-cylindrical reciprocabler shaftf21; Thev forward end ofy this shaft `21 also :passes through the aperture of the? ear 14 and ex tendsforwardly thereof terminating in=the bearing eyel 22. Theshaft lfo'rwardly off the ear 14 hasv surrounding it and fixed toitY a collar 23 vwhich -also surrounds thereciper rocable shaft 121; This collar.I has formed integral therewith the ear 24.

Surrounding-both of the shafts-165 and 21 at a point between the bearing 13 and earl-4 is a collar 25 `which is freev to .move along the shaft16 but is held against movement on the shaft 21 by the pins 26... This collar 425 carries two ears 27 and 28,!the earY 27 extends` ing upwardly and the ear 28 extendingv` downwardly asshown in Figurefl. Theear 28 has attachedltheretoa hook 29 to'which is' connected one end ofv Ta spring 30 whichf has its other or .rear end attached tothe spin 31- carried by the fixed5 bearing 13. It will thus be seen that this spring 30 tends ,toy

draw the collar 25 rearwardly and also the reciprocableashaft 21which' is attached` thereto. The ear 28`also carries,at a point below the hook 29, the pivot pin 32=which' slidably and pivotally engagesfinvthe slot 33 formed longitudinally and throughA the' lower end of an oscilla-tablei member-34f This member 34 is disposed between the shafts 16 and 21 and the forearm reinforcing bar 7, and is pivotally secured intermediate its ends to the bar 7. The ear 27 carries adjacent its upper end and projecting from its outer face the headed pin 35 while the oscillatable member carries at its upper end the headed pin 36 which projects from its inner-face.

f Designed for selective engagement with the .pins 35 `and 36 is an operating lever 37 which is disposed'above the shafts and longitudinalvly thereofand is pivotally mounted adjacent its rear end as at 38 between the bar 3 and the .bar l2swhichfisdisposed in o'set relation adapted for selective engagementy in the apertures `11 and also being disposed between thev plate 10-and the sleeve 1. Upon the forward face of theear '14'there is mounteda ring 421 the periphery' ofl which is provided 'kwith transverse recesses 43.

At the forward ends of the shafts 16: and 21 there ispositioned a pair of gripping inembers one of which, indicated generally by the numeral 44, may be termed a thumb-whiley the otherw-hich is indicated-generally by the;

numeral 45 may betermed a linger. As shown each of these members 44 and 45 is made up of two portions, the portions of the member 44 being indicated bythe numerals 46 and V 47 whiletheportions ofthe member 45 are lindicated bythe numerals l48 and 49. Each Yof the portions 46and 48 is in the form of a l'U-shaped frame which is formed Ifrom a stripof relatively broad metal. Each `leg of each of the portions 46 and 48 is formed` at- 'its free end and at each longitudinaliedgeto provide hinge ears 50 and 51.

The rear endof the-lever 37 is formed*- lThevhinge ears 51 ofthe two U-shaped'v frames 46 and 48 are disposed with the apertures formed therethrough in alignment with the hinge ear` 22of thereciprocable shaft 21l and are connected therewith' by. a suitable pivot pin 52. The hinge ears 50 of the portion 48 have connecting.` therebetween a pin 53 to which is attached the adjacent ends of a pair of links 54, the other ends of whichVV are attached as at55 to theveary 24 carried upon..

the collar '23. The pin 55 which connects the links 54. with the ear 24'also carries a y3 finger 56 which, when the members 441and 45 are swung apart, engages in one of the recesses in the periphery of the ring 42. The f ears 50 upon the portion. 46 of the member 44 are pivotally connected by means-of a suitable pin 57 with the hinge veye 20 `which forms the forward terminus ofthe shaft 16.

The outer portions47 and 49 of the members 44 and 45 are also of substantially; U- shaped design and are formedfrom a relativel broad vstrip of metal the `same as the mem ers 46 and 48. .These outer portions 47 and 49 have theyokes thereof pivotally at-y tached by the vmembers 58 to `tlieyokes of the adjacent portions l46 and48 -so that these outer portions may be rotated upon the inner portions, as shown in Figure 6. Suitable spacing bodies are disposed between the sides ofthe inner` and outer portions of the gripping members as vindicated by the .numeral 59. These spacing bodies lill up substantiallyVV all of the space between the sides of theseparts Y of the members with the exception of the portion 49 wherein the 4area lying between the sides thereof'is left open so thatthe adjacent portion47 may move thereinto.'

As shown Figure 5 the free yends of they outer portions 47 and 49 are curved so that they may be broughtinto opposed `relation to permit one tomove intothe otherlas described `or to hold a body between the opposed ends.` When holding a bodyl between the curved` opposedfends the relative positions of the members will be as shown in Figures 1and5. e l. I

Eachy of the inner members 46 and 48 has pivotally secured to each side face a latchingplate 6() which may be positioned toeX- tend longitudinally of the member in which case it will overlie the joint between the inner and outerportions' thereof and thus prevent the outer portion of the member from being turned. Byswinging this plate around 'in one direction the outer portion-ofthe meniber adjacent theretomay be turned to a position at ,right angles to that which it formerly assumed, as shown in Figure 6, after which the latching plate may be turned back to overlie the adjacent end of the turned outer member and thus hold it in theposition in which it has been set. Each of the latching plates at its inner end is provided with. a hook 61 which receives a pin 62 projecting from the side of the supporting member tok Vlimit the swinging movementof the latching p From the foregoing description it will be readily `apparentthatv when a device vof Athe character herein described is in use no difficulty will be experienced by the user in lifting and adjusting the actuating lever 37 thereof as the free end of the lever is disposed adjacent the forward or wrist end of the forearm receiving sleeve. f-

. It will also bereadily seen that by engag` ing the pin 36 of the oscillatable barl 34 in one of the notches 39 of the operating lever when the upper arm encasing sleeve `1 is in theY position shown, or in otherwords when the larm islbent, and 'then straightening out the arm, the oscillatable member 34 will movethe sleeve 25 forwardly and thus shift the reciprocablepshaft 21 forwardly to cause sepaand 45. At the same time Vthe spring 30will be placed under tension so ythat .when the arm is, 'again bent this spring will assistI in returning tlie partsto `the `position in which l of the user of the device be inthe straight- Y they are shown in Figure 1. Should the arm .76

enedout condition or partially straightened out and the leverV have one of the notches 39 engaged with the pin 35 it will be seen that by bending the arm the same effect will be obtained, that is the shaft-21 willbeshoved forwardly and cause the members 44 and 45 toseparate. The spring 3Q also serves to keep when thelever 37`is out of engagement with the pins .35 and 36. Accidental disengagethe members 44 and 45 inllgagedrelation l nient of the lever 37 from either the pin 35 or the pin 36 is prevented by the spring 41 which acts to constantly urgetheforward or free end ofthe lever downwardly.

Having thus described my invention, what l I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, an 1 upper arm receiving sleeve and a forearm re-` ceiving sleeve, a pivotal. connection between said sleeves, a member mounted for Vlongitudinalreciprocation at one side of said forearm sleeve, a'pair of members mounted at oef the forward end `of said forearmsleeve, said members being adapted for Arelative movement for the engagement of a bod-y therebetween, said first member when moved toward therear of said sleeve effecting the bringing together of said pair of members, a lever periiianently pivctaily attached adjacent one end to said upper arm sleevemeans fordetachably connecting the other end of said lever .tosaidishiftable member whereby the latter will be shifted longitudinally upon bringing said sleeves into angular relation one with the 7 other, for effecting relative movement of said pair of members,and a resilient control element having connection with said lever at its pivotedl end and normally maintaining the connection ofthe lother end with-said shiftable member.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a sleeve designed to receive a handless forearm, an upper arm receiving sleeve i pivotally connected withthe forearm sleeve,

a shaft mounted at the side of the forearm sleeve for movement longitudinally thereof, a pair of pivotally connectedgripping elements mounted at the forward end of the forearm sleeve and having pivotal connection with said shaft whereby upon actuation of the shaft relative movement of the gripping members will be effected, an elongated member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends adjacent said shaft, pivotal connecting means between said shaft andone end of said last mentionedl member, a lever yhaving pivotala lshaft/mounted at the side of the forearm sleeve `for movement longitudinally thereof, a pair iofpivotally connected gripping elemente mounted at the forward end ofthe forearm sleeve and having pivotal connectionk .with said-shaft whereby upon actuation of the lever relative movement of the gripping members will be effected, an elongated member `pi-votally mounted intermediate its ends adj acent--said shaft, pivotal connecting means between` said shaft-and one end of said last mentioned member, a lever having pivotalA connectionat one end with said upper arm sleeve', means for detachably connecting the other end ofthe lever with theother end of said- `pivotally*mount-ed member, and resili ent means normally acting to draw said shaft inwardlyl from' the free endV of the forearm sleeve. to maintain `said in closed relation.y

4f. Inl a device of the character described, a sleeve designed to receive a handless forearm, an upper arm receiving sleeve pivotally connected to the first mentioned sleeve, a shaft mounted adjacentthe forearm sleeve for 4 movement longitudinally thereof, a pair of pivotally connected gripping members mounted ati-.thel forward end of the forearm sleeve an'dhaving connection'with said shaft for actuation thereby, an ear carried by said shaft', and below the same,a bar disposed sub- Y stantiallyztransversely of the shaft and pivotally mountedintermediateits ends and furtherhaving sliding pivotal connection at its lower: end with said ear, and a lever pivotally attached at oneend to said upper arm sleeve and adapted for selective engagement at its other end with the upperend of the pivoted bar.

v5.` In adevice of the character described, a sleeve designed to receive a handless: forearm, an upper arm receiving sleeve pivotally connected to the first mentioned sleeve, a shaft mounted adjacent the forearm sleeve for movement longitudinally thereof, a pair of pivotally connected gripping members mountedat the forward end of the forearm sleeve and having connection with said shaft for actuation thereby, an ear carried by said shaft, and below the same, a bar disposed substantially transversely of the shaft and pivotallymounted intermediate its ends and further having sliding pivotal connection at its end with said lower ear, a lever pivotally' attached at one end to said upper arm sleeve and-adapted for selective engagement at its Y,

l gripping members other end-with the upper end of the pivoted' bar, and resilient means normally tendingto urge the free end of said lever in one direction to maintainconnection between the lever and the engaged bar.

6. In a device of the character described, comprisinga pair of sleeves, one being designed to receive a handless forearm and the other to receive an upper arm, frame bars extending longitudinally of opposite sides of I eachy of said sleeves, pivotal connecting means betweenadjacent ends of said frame bars, a shaft'mounted upon and extending longitudinally vof aframe bar adjacent'the f forearm sleeve and having one end extended beyond the forward end thereof, said shaft being of substantially semi-circular cross-section from a-point adjacent its inner end to itsl forward end, a reciprocable substantially f semi-circular'shaft mounted to slide upon the flat portion Vof the first mentioned shaft, a

sleeve surrounding said shafts and having an ear, said sleev-e being slidably upon the first' mentioned shaft and secured lagainst movement on the reciprocable shaft",'a bar pivotally inounted'intermediate its ends upon the frame baradjacent said shafts, a pivotalcon# nection betweenA one end of saidl pivoted bar and the said ear, ay pin carried at the upper end of said pivotedrbar, a lever having one end pivotally attached to a'frame bar of the upper arm sleeve and having notches formed in one side thereof adjacent the other end for the selective engagementI of said pin, and a pair of gripping members mounted upon the outer ends of said shafts, said gripping memp lll.

longitudinally of a frame bar adjacent the forearm sleeve and having oneend extended beyond the forward end thereof, said shaft being of substantially semi-circular crosssection from a pointradjacent its inner end to its forward end, a reciprocable-substantially semi-circular shaft mounted to slide upon the flat portion of the first mentioned shaft, a sleeve surroundingl said shaft and having an ear, said sleeve being slidable upon the first mentioned shaft and secured againsty movement on the reciprocable shaft, a bar pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon the frame bar adjacent said shaft, a pivotal connection between one end of-said pivoted bar and the said ear, a pin carried at the upper endl of said pivoted bar, a lever having one` end pivotally attached -to a frame bar of-the upper arm sleeve and having notches formedf in one side thereof adjacent the other endv for the selective engagement of said pin, a,V

pair of gripping members mounted upon the outer ends of said shafts, said gripping members being shiftable relative to one another` through longitudinal actuation of said re' ciprocable shaft, resilient means normally urging said reciprocable shaft inwardly from the outer end of said forearm sleeve, and resillent means operating to maintain posltlve engagement between the notched end of said.

lever and the engaged pin.

8. In a device of the character described, a gripping unit designed to be actuated by a reciprocable shaft, comprising a pair of elongated members each terminating at one end in a laterally directed portion, a pair of bearings at the other end of each of said members, one of said bearings of each member being upon the inside and the other uponl the outside thereof, connecting means between the inside bearings of said members,`

said reciprocable shaft having connection at one end with said connecting means, means 9. In a device of the character described, including an upper arm receiving sleeve and1 a sleeve designed to receive a handless forearm, a pivotal connection between said sleeves, v

a shaft mounted for longitudinal reciprocation at the side of the forearm sleeve, a pair of pivotally connected gripping Vmembers mounted at the forward end of the forearm sleeve and having said shaft connected therewith and adapted to effect relative movement between the members when it is reciprocated, a spring member connected with said shaft and normally acting to retract the same, a

lever pivotally connected adjacent one endA with the upper arm sleeve, means for adjustably connecting the other end of said lever with said shaft, said lever being normally disposed substantially parallel with the shaft, and a spring member connected between the end of said lever adjacent theV pivotal point thereof and the upper arm sleeve structure and normally acting to mains tain the connection between the other end of the lever and the shaft.

10. In a device of the character described including a sleeve designed to receive an upper arm and a. secondsleeve designed to receive a handless forearm, a shaft mounted lon tudinal reciprocationiat one` side of `fthe orearm receiving sleeve, a pair of pivotally connected gripping members mounted at the forward endof the forearm receivings leeve,fa pivotalconnection vbetween ythe forward end of, saidshaft and said gripping members, said,` shaft,l when actuated, effecting the relative'movement of said gripping members, Y an earI carried by said shaft, ay lever disposedV substantially parallel with said shaft, said. lever having a notch therein `adjac "e'nt its "forward, end, .a pin carried by said ealr'to removably engage in said notch, `a-pivotal connection Abetween said lever at a point adjacent its otherend and the upper Y arm sleeve, and means for normally holding said pin in engagement in `said lever notch.

11; In,` 'adeviceof vthe character described including' a sleeve designed to receive an upper'arm anda second sleeve designed to receive a handless; forearmfa' shaft mounted for longitudinal `reciprocation at one side of the Vforearm receiving. sleeve, a pair of pivotally connected, gripping .members mounted `at the forward yend of the forearm receiving sleeve, a pivotal. connection between the forward endof said shaft and said gripping members, lsaid shaft, `when actuated,

effecting the relative movement of said grii ping members, an ear carriedby said sha a lever disposedabove and normally substantially -parallelwith Asaid shaft, said lever having a notchl therein adjacent its forward end, a pin carried by said ear adapted to Vreceive `said notch, a pivotal connection between said lever at a point adjacent its other end and the upper arm sleeve, means for normally holding said pin in engagement in said lever notch, and a spring element `con-V nected with said shaft and normally acting to shift the same in one directionf Y 12. In a device of the character described, an upper arm Ireceiving sleeve, a frame for said sleeve including a pair of bar'members-f extending longitudinally thereof, a sleeve adapted to receive a'handless forearm, i a frame forsaid forearmsleeve including, a

`pair of longitudinally extending bars, pivotal connecting means between the upper arm fbars and the forearm bars, apair of bearings carried and extending laterally from one of saidforearm bars, one bearing being at the forward end of the bar and thel other being adjacent the rear end thereof, a pair ofl Vshafts arranged 4for relative longitudinal movement`one of said shafts having'both ends ,supported by saidfbearings, the other 4shaft Aextending through lthe forward bearing only, said shafts-.having oscillatory movement in the bearings, a pair of pivotally connected gripping members mounted at the forward end'of said forearm sleeve, a pivotal connection between the said other one of the shafts and said gripping members whereby upon longitudinal movement of the same v`the gripping members will be moved relative rto one another, a lever vbar disposed substanljftiajll parallel; with and above vthe shafts, a "fixe pivotalfconnection bet-Ween said' lever bar at one endand an upper arm frame bar,

' means fordetachably connecting'said lever at 4its lother end withthe said other one of the 'f shafts whereby longitudinal movement will ,'beimparted thereto byv said leverwhen the "latteriis m'oved, 'and a spring member having *'"connection at oneend with the'lever bar adjacent: its pivoted endand having its'otherend adjustab'l'y :Connected with the upper arm yframe.

13. in al1-artificial hand, a hand unit comprising two elongated'members each divided transversely to form an inner and outer portion, each of said outerjportions havingia laterally 'directed terminal part, a pivotal con- 4-neotion betweenthe inner and Vouter por- A 'tions' of each of said parts' whereby the outery `:.portionsjmaytbe^^rotated about an axis ex ftendinglongitu'dinally j of the member, a

pivotal'connectonbetween said 'inner portions whereby -the.. members may Ybe `moved relativeto oneA another, means adapted to be gmou'ntedupon 'an arm .for actuating said `members, andalatching element pivotally mountedfupon one of the yportions of each member forfsecuring the outer portions in a position of adjustment relativeto the inner portions, said outer portions when in one positionvibeing adapted to have-the ends of the laterally directed 'partsy brought into abutting relation. l ,Y u

' 14. In an artificial hand, a hand unit comprising twoelongated members each divided transversely to -ormv an inner and outer portion, each of said youter portions having a laterally directed termina-l.v part, a 1pivotal connection between the inner andouter portions ofeach of' saidjpats whereby the .outer portions may be rotatedlabout an axis extending longitudinally 'of themember, atpivotal connection between said inner `portions wherebythe members may be moved relative to one another, means adapted to be mounted `vupon anvarm'for actuating said members, and

alatching element' pivotally mounted upon oneot the portions ofeach member for securkplatefmembers disposed in'spaced relation.

`Intestimony whereof I hereunto affix my i si gnature.

HENRY F. :einen 

